Switchfoot - Mess of Me

Lyrics - 5
Vocal Performance -5
Orchestration - 5
Dynamics - 5
Mix - 5 
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"Mess of Me" captivates it's listener with powerful lyrics, driving lead vocals, and strong music backing. The song speaks of survival after bad decisions, and is very well orchestrated, in that it tells a story of owning-up to our mistakes and wanting to move beyond those vices and weaknesses, whether it be drugs, addiction, or any other vice that holds us down.

The mix and dynamics are great throughout. Instrumentation is tight and the song's structure has smooth transitions from verse, bridge, and chorus sections. I especially enjoyed hearing the touch of distortion on the voice with the guitar at the last bridge. This songs speaks to everyone who has ever been trapped in the cages we create for ourselves when we try to substitute one problem for another problem.

- Review by Clarence Steele

Keane - Bedshaped

Lyrics - 4
Vocal Performance - 5
Orchestration - 3
Dynamics - 4
Mix -3
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In a somewhat strange blend of bare indie and the fuller, dynamic sound we are used to hearing from the band, Keane takes an interesting path with the song "Bedshaped." The beginning of the song brings the image of a rehearsal in progress, the band sitting in a dimly lit living room, the dramatic sparseness accentuating the ricky-ticky sound of ill-mixed drums. However, the tender melody and brilliant delivery by lead singer Tom Chaplin keeps you interested long enough to experience the chorus, thank goodness.

Here, the rich, full-bodied sound we were longing for unfolds. A superb climax with fantastic lyrics, the chorus of "Bedshaped" is the hook that we needed, in order to give the song a second, and third chance. Singer and band unite to create a uniform blanket of almost touchable sound - you'll just want to close your eyes and bask in the moment. Once all is said and done, "Bedshaped" surprisingly pulls through, and addicts.

- Review by Elise Ackermann